


just know you're not alone (i'm gonna make this place your home)

by paleromantic



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Adoption, Autistic Child Character, Domestic, Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, More Tags Will Be Added as the Story Goes On, andrew and neil fostering kids, dads!andreil, fostering
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-08-06 13:45:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16388825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paleromantic/pseuds/paleromantic
Summary: "They're late." He picked at the fraying edges of his armbands. "Not very professional of them."Neil read that as the admission of nervousness that it was, and he smiled gently. "I'm just they're just running a bit behind schedule, Drew. Nothing to worry about."A younger Andrew would have been angry at how easily Neil's words calmed him down. Although, he supposed, a younger Andrew wouldn't be waiting with his husband to bring their foster kid home. A younger Andrew would have been terrified at the mere prospect of it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yay new fics!!!

The little room that they had been asked to sit in smelled of dust and a hint of disinfectant, and the gentle flickering of the fluorescent lights was slowly driving Andrew insane. They had been told over a half an hour ago that they'd only be waiting ten minutes, fifteen at the most. Andrew didn't care.

He _didn't_.

He clenched his jaw and turned his gaze back to watching the clock, until he felt Neil's fingertips tap against his cheek gently. He turned his head slightly, until a familiar mop of auburn came into view.

"Bad for your teeth." His husband reprimanded him gently. "You don't need another trip to the dentist."

Andrew huffed and didn't respond, but relaxed his jaw again. If Nicky were there, he would have made a whip noise by now, coupled with some ridiculous gesture.  Luckily, Nicky was living out his dreams in Germany with his own family. Andrew counted his blessings.

"They're late." He picked at the fraying edges of his armbands. "Not very professional of them."

Neil read that as the admission of nervousness that it was, and he smiled gently. "I'm sure that they're just running a bit behind schedule, Drew. Nothing to worry about."

A younger Andrew would have been angry at how easily Neil's words calmed him down. Although he supposed, a younger Andrew wouldn't be waiting with his husband to bring their foster kid home. A younger Andrew would have been terrified at the mere prospect of it.

The kid's name was Grayson, although he hated the name. Andrew had suggested Gray as a nickname, and he had seemed to like that better. He was almost eight, and he had been put into foster care after his mother had tried to drown him in the bathtub, only to be stopped when the people next door noticed the yelling. Andrew had put his hand through a window after he had been told that, and it still stung despite Neil's best efforts to patch him up. The agent had warned them that he was a high maintenance child, difficult to manage, but they had just waved her off. After all they'd been through, they were pretty sure they could handle a kid, especially a kid who needed someone to be there for them.

Both of their heads snap up as they heard the door open, the hinges protesting under the stress of it. Their agent came through first, closely followed by Grayson. He had lost weight since they had last seen him, and Andrew clenched his fist tighter against his side.

"Hey, Gray." Neil smiled softly at him, and the kid startled slightly, before offering them a toothy grin, although more subdued than usual.

"Hi, Mr. Minyard." There was a slight whistle to his voice, and he shoved his hands into his pockets, keeping them there.

Neil shook his head. "You can call us Neil and Andrew, Gray. Are you alright?"

Neil's gaze flickered towards the agent, and Andrew saw the steel there. She swallowed, loudly, and then uncrossed her arms to speak. Andrew braced himself for her to refuse them.

"There has been a... complication." Gray winced, and Neil frowned, echoing her words.

"It has been brought to our attention that Grayson has a sister. A... twin. She's in the system too."

Neil rocked back in his chair a little, stunned into silence for once. Andrew's phone slid out of his hand, dropping to the carpeted floor and bouncing a little. His voice came out rougher than intended. "A twin."

The agent nodded, checking her clipboard. “Elena Marques. They were separated when they were put into the system, about a year ago.”

Andrew worked his jaw until he could speak. “Why separate them?”

The agent reddened slightly. “Mr. Minyard, it’s extremely hard to find a home for twins, that are willing to take both of them, so separating them was their best chance for finding a family to go to.”

Andrew met Neil’s gaze, and Neil chewed on his lip before giving a small nod.

It was settled, then.

“That’s fine.” Andrew sat up in his seat. “We’ll take both of them, then.”

It was a tough call who was more shocked, the agent or Grayson. Andrew almost smiled.

“You- Mr. Minyard that is a huge decision are you sure-“

Andrew didn’t let her finish. “They will not be separated again. Is Elena here?”

The agent nodded, flustered. “Yes, of course she’s-“

“Get her, then.” Andrew wanted to leave, they had already spent a ridiculous amount of time in that stupid place and he just wanted to go home. She went, then, leaving Grayson behind to stand by the door, before walking over towards them.

“You’ll really bring her too?” His tone was sceptical, although it was laced with hope. Andrew knew that tone, he had heard it many times throughout his life. Even on himself, although he was loath to admit it.

Neil smiled softly, leaning forward and resting his arms on his knees. “Of course we will, Gray. We don’t want you to have to give up a sister, and we really don’t want you separated.”

Grayson nodded slowly. “Okay.”

It wasn’t much longer until the agent came back with a young girl in tow, carrying bags this time. Andrew got to his feet to relieve her of them, taking care not to get in either child’s personal space. Elena looked highly suspicious, moving around to go to her brother’s side and clutching his sleeve.

“Now, all of the paperwork is done, all that’s left is for you both to sign out, and take the kids home!” The agent chuckled, all bright and fake-cheery again. Andrew ignored her, trusting that Neil would tell him where to sign when he had to. It was a good system, and it required the least amount of effort on Andrew’s part.

They finished up with the agency and Andrew hauled the bags out to the trunk of the Maserati, Neil trailing behind with both of the children. It wasn’t the same Maserati they had had in college, since they had upgraded to the newest model. The old one still sat in their garage, though. Andrew had turned out a lot more sentimental than he had planned, although he blamed it all on Neil. It was Neil’s fault in the first place, anyway.

Elena and Grayson hovered nearby, and once their bags were in the back Neil and Andrew both turned to them, helping them into the car and strapping them in. They childrens’ hands found each other in the backseat, and Andrew swallowed the lump in his throat.

“Ready to go home, guys?” Neil was talking to Andrew just as much as he was talking to the kids, and Andrew rolled his eyes, before nodding and sitting into the driver’s seat. Grayson nodded eagerly and grinned at them, while Elena just gave a stiff nod, from what Andrew could see in the rearview mirror. She was a lot more closed off than him, even at such a young age. Andrew pushed that away- that was a worry for when they were both settled in. They couldn’t push too much all at once, after all, or they’d fuck it up. Andrew knew that much from experience anyway, had had too many guardians that had gone for broke right away, just to disappoint him in the long run.

He wasn’t going to be like that; he knew that much. He and Neil were going to help them, as much as was possible, they had to. They both had a pretty comprehensive list of how _not_ to parent from both of their childhoods combined, things to definitely avoid for both their own wellbeing and the children’s.

He shifted the car into drive, waiting for Neil to shut the door after getting in. They’d figure it out, he was sure of it. Neil had never let him down before, and he wasn’t about to start now.

Andrew wondered when he had started to be so sure of that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh look at this another update??? Its hella short Im sorry but hopefully yall enjoy!

Neil's first bedroom had been the bedroom in his father's manor, in Baltimore. The manor had had many bedrooms, most of them empty and lifeless, but Neil's had been upstairs, almost in the attic. As far from his father's office as it could have been, it was safer that way. The room had been minimalistic, although Neil hadn't wanted it that way. Or at least, if he had been given the chance to think about it, he wouldn't have wanted it that way. He had had a wardrobe with his clothes in it, smart, practical clothes for when his father's friends came over, as well as soft pyjamas that did little to soothe the injuries he collected there. The bed was huge, bigger than any child needed, and it had only really emphasised how lonely Neil was in the world.  
  
It had almost been a relief to leave it for cramped motel beds, the ground, park benches, anything he could find. Almost.  
  
The bunk at fox tower had been a new experience, especially when Andrew had started to join him there. Neil had slept with guns, knives, and just about everything else under his pillow for most of his life, but he had never felt safer than he did when Andrew's arm was under his pillow, or around his waist.  
  
He swallowed, and then set down the pillow on the bed again, having just finished changing the sheets. Grayson and Elena had been with them for just a few days, and sharing the bed for most of that, but Neil had the feeling that Grayson hadn't been sleeping well. Andrew had just shrugged, but a couple of hours later he returned from the store with some of the softest sheets and blankets that Neil had ever felt in his life. Satisfied, he smoothed his hand over the blanket before turning and going to the door. "Grayson? Come here."  
  
The boy came quickly, leaving his sister to watch tv alone while Andrew read his new book nearby. "Yes, Neil?"  
  
Neil chuckled, and then scratched at the back of his hand. "We got you new sheets, kiddo. Are they gonna be okay?"  
  
Grayson blinked, and then turned to the bed, walking over to inspect it, touching it gently. Neil didn't miss the way he seemed to relax, the way his eyes lit up just slightly, and he chuckled softly. "You should have told us, Gray."  
  
Grayson bit his lip. "They were scratchy, but Ms. Giles yelled at me when I told her her sheets were."  
  
Neil swallowed down the wave of anger that arose whenever Grayson or his sister alluded to their previous foster homes, and he just walked over to stop by the bed. "Neither of us would yell at you for that, Gray. If you need something, no matter how small you think it is, tell us and we'll fix it."  
  
Grayson looked at him. "You don't think it's weird?"  
  
The woman who had been assigned Grayson's case had informed them briefly about Grayson's needs, his aversion to certain textures, his dislike of being touched. The latter was no problem for Andrew and Neil, obviously, but they were still trying to figure out the former. Andrew had called it autism, said that a couple of kids in the foster homes he had been in had had it. Neil had heard of it, but neither of them really had any idea of how to make things any easier for the kid. They had gone out and bought every book on the subject the very next day, even called Bee and asked for any advice she had. She had told them to play it by ear, trust the kid to know what he liked and didn't like, trust him to tell them what they needed to know. It had been a huge help, really, and Neil was glad that Grayson seemed happy that they were trying. That was all that mattered, really.  
  
"Of course not, Gray. I like wearing soft clothes too, they don't hurt so much." The child's gaze turned to the scars on Neil's arms, and his lips flattened into a thin line. "We'll buy more sheets tomorrow, and make sure you don't have scratchy ones again."  
  
Grayson nodded, and that was good enough for Neil. He held his hand up for a tentative fist bump, a brief amount of contact that Grayson had decided he was comfortable with a day into his stay with them. Elena hadn't strayed too far from her brother yet, keeping a watchful eye on him, but even she had seemed delighted when he had initiated contact.  
  
"Thank's Neil." The child got to his feet again, flashing Neil a grin before going back out to where his sister was undoubtedly still watching the national geographic channel. Neil took a moment to straighten the blanket, sparing the room a last glance before he made his own exit, to curl up with Andrew and push King and Sir off of his seat.  
  
The room was nothing at all like his own room in Baltimore, and for that, he was eternally grateful.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pls tell me yall know what book that is, also sorry for the late update but heres some soft andrew

Things settled into a routine after that, something that came easily to both Andrew and Neil, and something that was necessary for Grayson's comfort. In fact, both of them also found comfort in knowing that they were doing at any given point, so it had only been natural for them to establish a loose routine, before tightening it up.  
  
Andrew woke at 7 each morning, 8 when it was the weekend, always an hour or two before Neil's morning run. When he was awake, he and Neil usually made coffee and sat together, talking or reading the paper before feeding the cats and going to wake Grayson and Elena for school. It was a pretty simple routine, but it worked for them.  
  
Once the kids were awake, it was simply a matter of getting them dressed, making sure their bags were packed, and feeding them before the bus arrived. It usually went without a hitch, provided that there were no complications.  
  
Unfortunately, life was complicated.  
  
"Andrew," Grayson whined softly, shifting under the blankets. "I don't feel good."  
  
Andrew held out a hand, waiting for Grayson to nod before pressing his hand against the boy's forehead. He pressed his lips together in a thin line and then shook his head, tugging the blanket up over his shoulders again.  
  
"No school for you today." The kid was burning up, although Andrew would need a thermometer to be sure of the exact temperature. Much too sick to be going to school, that was for sure. Grayson nodded and closed his eyes again, and Andrew sat for a moment to pat his arm before getting up, waking Elena quietly and leaving her to get dressed.  
  
Neil was making breakfast when he got back to the kitchen, and he smiled breathlessly when he saw Andrew approaching.  
  
"Are they up?"  
  
Andrew leaned over the counter and stole a piece of bacon, popping it into his mouth before speaking. "Grayson is feverish, he'll have to stay at home."  
  
Neil winced and then flipped the eggs. "One of us will have to stay with him."  
  
Andrew could practically see him struggling over the decision, and he rolled his eyes. "Go to practice, Junkie. I'll be fine with him."  
  
Neil's eyes softened, and he leaned over to kiss Andrew on the cheek. "I know you do."  
  
"Eugh, gross!" Elena groaned from the doorway, walking in and stealing another piece of bacon off the plate. "There are _children_ here."  
  
Andrew rolled his eyes. "That's not a nice way to refer to Neil."  
  
Neil smacked him gently, and then plated up some food for Elena, sliding the plate over to her. "Eat your breakfast, both of you. I need to go get ready, take over from here?"  
  
Andrew nodded and picked up the spatula, flipping the eggs quickly and setting it down again in favour of drinking his coffee. Elena ate her food happily, taking the toast out of the toaster and loading it with beans. Andrew wrinkled his nose, but ignored it. Neil had introduced both of the kids to English food, much to Andrew's dismay, and they had quickly started asking for it more and more. Andrew refused to cave, already planning on making pancakes as soon as Neil left.  
  
That didn't mean that he wouldn't also make this, though.  
  
Elena finished her toast and then licked her fingers. "Is Grayson going to be okay?"  
  
Andrew hummed. "He just has a fever, he'll be fine. I'll be with him, so he's safe."  
  
She met his eyes with a hard stare. "Promise?"  
  
She had come a long way, even in the few short weeks that they had been with them, but she was still intensely protective of her brother, going so far as to try not to leave him alone with either of them despite the fact that Grayson seemed to already have settled in well.  
  
Andrew didn't blame her. He had felt similarly about Aaron, after all, and he had barely known him.  
  
"I promise, nothing bad will happen to him."  
  
She seemed to find what she was looking for in his eyes, because she nodded tersely, and then went back to eating. Andrew turned down the heat as he plated the eggs, before turning and making food for Neil to take with him to practice. Neil emerged from the bedroom not long after, changed into comfortable looking gym gear. Andrew handed him his food in a Tupperware box that Katelyn had left behind last time they visited, and Neil huffed a laugh.  
  
"How domestic of you, Andrew. Where's my brown paper bag with a love note on it?"  
  
Andrew flicked him on the forehead and grumbled. "Fuck off."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. You love me." Neil smiled and then leaned down to kiss him quickly. "C'mon, Elena, we've gotta get you to school on time."  
  
Elena nodded and picked up her school back, stopping briefly to bump her knuckles gently against Andrew's before leaving to go to the car. Neil smiled after her, before kissing Andrew's forehead gently.  
  
"Good luck with Gray, call me if you need anything?"  
  
Andrew nodded and then tapped Neil's chest gently, before letting the man leave for work and turning to focus on cleaning the kitchen. It was a good way to spend the time, and he spent the rest of the morning cleaning the counters and washing the dishes, before washing the floor until he was satisfied with it. By then, Grayson had finally woken up and made his way out to the kitchen, still wearing his pyjamas and looking completely miserable.  
  
"Hey, Gray." Andrew went to the sink, filling a bottle with cold water and handing it to the kid. "Take this to the couch, and I'll be right out."  
  
The kid nodded and then disappeared through the door, and Andrew huffed, going through the list of remedies that he had compiled from his research before they had decided to foster.  
  
He grabbed a blanket, and a cold damp cloth before taking some food and bringing it out to Grayson, putting the food on the coffee table before putting the blanket over his legs, letting him lay down and then putting the cold towel on the forehead.  
  
Grayson whined and Andrew felt his chest clench slightly. He had known that eventually one of them would get sick, but that didn't help with the upset discomfort that Gray was experiencing.  
  
"Just relax, Gray. What do you want to do?"  
  
Grayson closed his eyes for a minute, and Andrew was starting to think that the kid had just fallen asleep when he spoke again.  
  
"Can you read to me?"  
  
Andrew hummed softly. "Which book?"  
  
Grayson yawned, and then reached for his water, taking a sip. "Something happy."  
  
Andrew turned and went into his bedroom, almost tripping over Neil's shoes and grumbling as he grabbed a book from his shelf, tucking it under his arm as he returned to the sitting room. Grayson watched him as he walked, the corner of his mouth tugging upwards.  
  
"What book is it?"  
  
"It's a surprise. Close your eyes, Gray."  
  
Gray did as he was told, and Andrew carefully thumbed the book open, holding it on his lap and starting to read.  
  
"The year that Buttercup was born, the most beautiful woman in the world was a French scullery maid named Annette..."  
  
It wasn't long before Andrew could see that Grayson was starting to fall asleep, and he dog-eared the book before laying it to the side, leaning forward to tuck the blanket up around the boy's shoulders. Grayson yawned again and nuzzled into the blanket a little, his voice slurred and heavy from sleep when he spoke.  
  
"Thanks, Dad."  
  
Andrew froze, hand still extended, before simply moving the water bottle back to the table. "Goodnight."  
  
He stood up, feeling a little off balance as he went to retrieve his phone, opening up his most recent phone conversation, which happened to be with Aaron.  
  
_Grayson called me dad._  
  
It took a couple of minutes for the reply to come in, but Andrew felt himself start to breathe easier as he read it, sinking down to sit on the bed and rubbing his face with his hand.  
  
_Don't act so surprised, I told you they would love you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any constructive criticism would be appreciated- you can message me on my tumblr @twinyxrds
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
